Pl. CXXV
The Birds · Plate CXXV
Great-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanus
Icteridae · Taxon 9607
| Length | 38–58 cm (15–23 in) |
| Wingspan | 46–61 cm (18–24 in) |
| Weight | 94–265 g (3.3–9.4 oz) |
Field marks
- Exceptionally long, tapered tail, often folded into a V-shaped keel
- Adult male glossy blue-black to violet-black overall
- Female dark brown above and warmer buff-brown below
- Adult pale-yellow eye contrasts with the dark head
- Stout, straight black bill and flat-headed profile
- Long, dark legs and slender body
HabitatOpen and semi-open landscapes, especially near water, including marsh edges, irrigated fields, farmland, lawns, parks, groves, and thickets; generally absent from dense forest and waterless desert.
BehaviorHighly social and vocal; usually forages in flocks on the ground or in shallow water, eating varied plant and animal foods. Large groups gather at communal roosts, while displaying males ruffle their plumage, fan the tail, and point the bill upward.
Palette
iridescent blue-blackviolet-blackdark brownwarm buffpale yellow